Sporting-trap



P. R.JONES.

SPORTING TRAP.

(No Model.)

Patented Apr. 12, 1892.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC PHILIPR. JONES, OF LYNDHURST, NEWV'JER SEY.

SPORTING-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,709, dated April 12, 1892. Application filed January 20,1892. Serial No. 418,662. (No model.)

shot at by the sportsman; The failure of the bird to take flight upon being released causes great annoyance to the sportsman in shooting over any of the forms of traps heretofore known to me. My invention is intended to obviate this difficulty and insure the rise and flight of the bird on opening the liberatingwalls of the trap. I provide a bell or other sound-producing device, which sounds whenv the releasing-cord is pulled and the trap opened, frightening the bird by the noise and causing it to leave the trap. The base of the trap is of circular or nearly circular form,

with a surmounting hemispherical dome of nearly the same diameter as the base, made of overlapping sections. The bird is confined within the dome upon a horizontal platform. In releasing the bird the dome separates on the central line, the sections on each side falling into a space between the platform and the inclosing casing, leaving the platform clear. I prefer to mountthe bell beneath the platform, to which latter the vibrations are communicated and assist materiallyin starting the bird.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the trap open. Fig. 2 is acorresponding view showing the trap closed and locked. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig; 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing. the trap closed.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures in which they appear.

A is an upright casing of sufficiently-strong sheet metal of circular or slightly-elliptical form in plan, which, with the correspondinglylow certain portions to fall therein, as will be I explained farther on. This construction allows the ready removal of the platform when necessary for the examination or repair of the parts within.

A A. A A are pins extending inward from the casing A at two opposite points near the dividing-line of the dome on each side and extending across the space between the cas ing A and the platform a littlebelow the surface of the latter. These pins A serve as centers upon which the liberating walls or sections 0 C 0 turn. These sections are portions of a hemisphere struck up by suitable dies or otherwise from sheet metal of the proper strength and thickness. 1 have'used six of these sections to form the dome, three on each side of the central dividing-line. The lowermost sections 0 have each a slight outwardly;projecting flange c on the lower edge and an internal flange or lip O on the upper edge, which latter is engaged by the external flange c of the next and smaller section 0 the internal lip O of which is in turn engaged by a flange c on the lower edge of the uppermost and still smaller section 0. The sections are each successively smaller than the preceding ones, so as to fall or collapse one within the other in the space between the platform B and easing A, which latter is of such depth that the upper edges of the sections when down are about flush with the upper edge of the casing and also with the surface of the platform B. The upper edge of one of the sections 0 is provided at the center' with a strong lug E, having a pin E screwed therein and extending when the dome is closed across the dividing-line. It carries a spiral spring E which exerts an expansive force against a corresponding lug F on the upper edge of the opposite section 0'. This lug has a hole of sufficient size to allow the entrance of the pin E and serves as ,anabutinentfor the spring E A small hole e is drilled at the proper point transversely through the pin E, in which the latch-pin G is thrust to lock the dome when the latter is closed. Thus conditioned, the spring E is compressed between the lugs E and F, guided by the pin E, and the parts held in place by the latch-pin G. When the latch-pin is withdrawn by a suflicien tly-stron g pull on the releasing-cord H, attached to a ring on one end of the pin G, the spring E asserts itself and forcibly separates the sections 0 O by a quick fling that will i n-. sure their falling and with them the others, by reason of their gravity, and also the fact that the sections on each side are struck each in turn by the lugs E and F, respectively, and

forced downwithin the casing A. A notch c is cut or otherwise formed in the upperedge of each of the sections, and corresponding notches a a are cut in the casing'A to accommodate the lugs E and F and allow the upper edges of all'of the sections on each side tolieflush with each otherand with the casing. These notches also serve to hold the sections againstdisplacement. Two sliding bolts A? on the casingengage orrelease the slight flange c on the lower edge of eachof the sections 0 and insure that the dome when ,closed and locked shall not be displaced by accidental tilting or oscillating on the centers A A To introduce the bird, it is only necessary to release one of thesec'tions by sliding its bolt A in the proper direction and raise its lower edge above the upper edge of the casing.

This ives an am le 0 enin throu h which a. P p z: a:

the bird may be thrust. The section is then allowed to drop back into position, thebolt A replaced in engagement, and the trap is ready to be sprung.

On the upper surfaceof the bottom plate A is mounted a bell M, which by means of suitable clockwork contained in the bell-casing will ring so long as the lever M is drawn forward or iintil the operating-spring (not shown) has run down. To this lever is attached ,a branch cord 11, extending out through a small hole in the casing A near the bottom and tied to the cord Hat a little distance'from the trap. Enoughslack is allowed inthisbranch cord to insure the withdrawal of the latch-pin G before thestrain of the pull comes directly upon the lever M,and ,to obviatethe danger of breaking thebell mechanisma third cord 1-1 is attached either to the main cord H or to the branch cord 11' andtied to the casing A at any convenient point ,to'

take the strain when the releasing-cord is pulled taut. Ihave shown the cord H attached to the casing at the point a. I provide a handle A, by which the trap may be conveniently carried in taking .it to and from the field.

The bell will ring simultaneously with the collapsing of the dome or perhaps a little later, and Willcontinue to ring so long as the cord is pulled taut, with the effect to startle the .bird toimmediate flight. The vibrations of thebell are communicated to the platform and, I believe, aid greatlyin insuring the rise of the bird.

The trap is held against the force of the pull on the cord II by stakes driven into the ground contiguous to the casing and between thelatter and the attendant whose duty it is to pull the cord and release the bird.

The pin E, with its attached spring, may be unscrewed from the lug E when thetrap is to be packed for shipment, thus avoid ng any projecting parts and allowing the whole to be packed economically and without risk of injury or disarrangement in transportation.

Modifications may be made by any good mechanic without departing from theprinciple or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. I may use one or twofsections on each side instead of the three shown, or ,agreater number will serve. Other releasingdevices may be used in place of the latchp n Gand pin E. The bell maybe attached to theunder surfaceof the platform instead of upon the bottom plate'A'. Other sound-produc ng devices may be employed. 'lhe liammer of the b l lin ch i m may be a rang to s rike directly uponthe bottom plate or ,upon the platform. Other means of supporting the platform may be employed insteadof the tubular standards A I prefer the whole, as .S W

I claim as my invention- I 1. In a sporting-trap, the comb nation, w th t c g and t e gr tat ng ollap ng se tions, of a soundingdevicaa cord connecting a sounding device within the case andjhaving 7 a lever, a cord connected with the holding means forthe sections, and a cord connected with said lever .and with said cord andjhaving a limited amount of slack, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a sporting-trap, the sections 0 C 0 falling one within the other and ,normally held distended, in combination with the easing A and with a sound-producing device, as the bell M, connected with and operated by the means that liberate the sections,.substantially as herein specified.

4; In a sporting-trap, the collapsing sections 0' 0 C in combination with the casing'A, centers A A platform B, and bell M, connected with the section-liberatingdevice, substantially as herein specified.

5. In a sporting-trap, the sections 0''. 0 .0 the engaging flanges c c? and lips O C and the centers A A in combination with each other and with the lugs on the uppermostsecthe case and the pivoted sections, the lower. ones of which have flanges, of the movable bolt A engaging the said flange, whereby said section may be raised to introduce a bird, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I have affixed my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

' PHILIP R. JONES.

Witnesses:

A. HALLE, EDWIN W. FOSTER. 

